A former Royal protection officer has launched a new low-cost scheme to deter squatters from taking over shops, offices and other commercial premises.
The Brighton-based retired police officer and Royal family bodyguard claims her Intuitive Guardians agency will find carefully vetted temporary residents for a variety of empty properties at rates far below other security measures. A similar scheme has already proved successful in The Netherlands and has just taken off in London.
She also says deterring squatters from moving in — potentially causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and the expense of legal action — closes a loop hole in the 2012 legislation which made squatting in residential properties a criminal offence, but does not stop squats being set-up in commercial properties.
The 32-year-old business woman explains that property owners would pay as little as £50 a week to have their property secured while prospective guardians can get living space in Brighton and Hove at a heavily reduced rate. Her agency supplies basic shower facilities and kitchen amenities with residents expected to bring everything else they need.
Brighton and Hove has seen several high-profile commercial property squats since the law’s inception including the former Choccywoccydoodah shop in Duke Street, make famous by the television documentary, Montpelier Peace Baptist Church in March, and the former post office in Ship Street.
Kehoe says she already has 10 people signed up for her fledgling company and is now looking for potential property owners along the south coast. Among the types of property she is targeting are shops, offices, pubs, churches and former care homes.
“Many owners choose to board up their premises, which looks very unsightly and also makes it very clear the property is empty and attracts unwanted attention,” Kehoe explained to The Argus. “Our solution is much cheaper than all the other security options.
“The scheme is already quite popular in London, where they have empty properties on a much bigger scale, and I just thought that with the squatting problem increasing in Brighton I better bring it down here as quickly as possible.”
Despite its introduction over a year ago, the criminal offence of squatting under Section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 remains a controversial law by confining the offence of squatting to residential property.
Owners of non-residential property can only involve the police if there are clear signs of criminal damage, something the police are notoriously reluctant to get involved with unless other, more serious offences, have been committed.
The only options open to commercial owners are either standard summary possession proceedings or an application for interim possession order (IPO), both of which involve at least one trip to court.
The procedure for obtaining an IPO involves an initial hearing at which the court will make the IPO. Once served with the IPO, squatters have 24 hours to leave the property or commit a criminal offence by staying.
Last November, MoveHut reported on the campaign pressing the Government to change the law to cover all types of premises and explained the current regulations in detail.
Previous Post
Future uncertain for Birmingham Office Block
